We like: Mid Century Architecture

Love these old grainy photographs from a Flickr photostream (featuring outtakes from old LIFE magazines) of mid-century homes in the US that we weren't fully aware of before. See more images here on flickr.

Rosen Residence. Architect: Craig Ellwood. Photographer: Michael Rougier. Comissioned: 1956.

White Ave, Roanoke Rapics, NC. Built 1959. Kirkwood F. Adams Residence. Photo: Joseph Molitor

Idea House II - McCall's Book of Modern Houses (1951). Designed by: William Friedman and Hilde Reiss with architect Malcolm Lien.

Stealing Magnolias Book giveaway

You know that when a book has such a romantic and dreamy name as Stealing Magnolias: Tales from a New Orleans Courtyard, it has to be good. And when you find out that its part love letter and part scrapbook that illustrates the story of its author Debra Shriver finding and restoring a beautiful house in the French Quarter of New Orleans’ just two months after Hurricane Katrina, you know you have to have it.

Stealing Magnolias is an enchanting book full of lush images by more than 20 photographers and artists that highlight food, interiors, architecture and much more. It seems Debra and I have something in common. Glitterati Incorporate is generously giving a lucky Belle Vivir reader a copy of this alluring book.

Below, a few images of Debra Shrivers’ home as featured in House Beautiful.

Giveaway details

It's simple.

1-Leave a comment on this post telling me what you like most about Debra Shriver's home featured in House Beautiful.

2-You can leave a comment between today and Saturday 15.

For extra entries

3-Add a link to this giveaway on your blog or side bar. Come back and let me know that you did.

4-If you cannot add the link you can make a second comment and it'll be counted as a second entry.

The winner well be announced on Monday, January 17 and the book will be sent directly from Glitterati Inc.

The book can be purchased here.

Credit: From Stealing Magnolias by Debra Shriver, copyright © 2010, published by www.Glitteratiincorporated.com.

The Broad Art Foundation museum

Last April, some of you would have been lucky enough to attend lectures by Charles Renfro, of the New York architecture firm Diller, Scofidio & Renfro, when he was in New Zealand as the international member of our Home of the Year jury.

Since then, we've been following the firm's progress with even greater interest than before. New on the boards is their design for the Broad Art Foundation museum in downtown Los Angeles, set to open in late 2012 to house some of the Broad Foundation's huge collection of contemporary art. You can find out more about the building and the Broad Foundation here. In the meantime, congratulations to Charles and the rest of the team at DS&R for what looks like an exciting building.

Our weekend visitors

I wanted to share with you what a cold but great weekend we had here at home. Over the weekend we invited to dinner a few friends we didn't get to see during Christmas. I wanted to create a cozier atmosphere and dine under candle light so I moved the dining table close to the open fire in front of my gorgeous bookcase. Did I ever say bookcases are one of my favorite things? I used a generous remnants of Edo fabric by quadrille as tablecloth, took out a few of my amethyst candle holders and got some hydrangeas at Whole Foods. The Capiz Shell placemats are from Crate and Barrel and they are really beautiful. We had a wonderful time in good company and hope we get to do this more often.

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all images by/for Julie.

Sneak Peek of a work in progress

I thought it would be nice to show you a little bit of what I did today. I went out on the snow today to start setting up a client's apartment that I've been working on for a few months. While awaiting for the truck full of furniture and lighting I walked around the beautiful neighborhood and snapped this beautiful shot.

This is a small corner of the living room, we chose a vintage modern demilune sofa with great lines upholstered in beige leather. Below is the chandelier that still needs to be hung above the dining table. I love everything about that chandelier, the lines, the regency influences and the masculinity of it. There is still a lot to be done like hang art work, window treatments. I'm going to make custom shades with Greek key borders for the windows in the dining area but I will show you more as soon as things are in the final stage.

Have a great weekend!

Bita Daryabari Home by Steven Volpe

In the most recent issue of Elle Decor we saw the London renovation that Steven Volpe and Bita Daryabari collaborated on. I loved the elegance of the house and because the article said they had worked together before, I was intrigued to see what would a 17,000 square foot residence designed by the more than talented Steven Volpe would look like. My search was fruitful and I found the images at A Thoughtful eye. The place is perfection at its best especially today that it's snowing here again and the open fires in the coziness of this home make me want to stay in and light a fire as well.

A Beautifully cluttered 900 sq ft apartment

Who says that a 900 sq ft apartment has to lack style and coziness. Joe Nye's apartment has all that and more with layers and layers of "pretty clutter" that give this apartment an very English atmosphere. Don't you adore the combination in his bedroom; which for some reason reminds me of Le Style Castaing?

Photos by Roger Davies for House Beautiful.

Give me Pink

"Pink is the color of romance and a friend tells me that the girl with the pink dress at the party is the one who is selected for each dance" Alfred Carl Hottes.

Images via unknown and Francois Halard.

A New Online Magazine

This time with an Australian accent. Loni Parker is the creator of Adore Home magazine and the summer issue is available online here. "Adore Home magazine is Australia's first online only home and lifestyle magazine" says Loni. I had my eye candy and I can say I loved everything I see. I can only say the more e-magazine the merrier.

Fabulous Images

I hope you're having a wonderful week.

 

Images credit 1, 2, 3 & 4.

Meet Lorenzo Castillo

 

Lorenzo Castillo is an Interior Designer and a Antiquarian who has transformed a 19th century mansion in Madrid into his home and work space. The mansion used to belong to Count of Torrijos and Lorenzo fell in love with the impressive details of this old mansion and I don't blame him. I can imagine the beauty of its architecture, something that cannot be well appreciated in these images. All different kinds of antiques such as art deco, regency, a little bit of Chinoiserie and vintage pieces can be seen in every room coexisting together in great harmony.

 

 

all images from Nuevo Estilo.